The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-12-23
LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR.



Magazine. On n narrow tongue of
limestone rock like the back of a whale,
il stretches out from the coast. with the
Atlantic ocean on one side and the Rio
de Ia Plata on the other. The streets
are like series OF terraces, not only
giving the most perfect natural drain
age. but furnishing every residence
with vista of the river or the sea.
When it isn't June in Uruguay il is
October seldom too hot, and never too
cold. During the summer season the
people of Buenos Ayres come over for
the sea bathing, and the city is very
gay. A prevalent taste which inspires
the owners of the villas to paint them
in gay colors-red pink, purple, green
and orange-is being somewhat modi-
fled by foreign travel, and of late years
the quintas as well rs the city houses
are taking on more somber hucs. There
ARE more beautiful and costly residences
and business blocks in Montev deo than
in any other South American city cx-
cept Santiago, the capital of Chill.
Considerable carved marble is used, but
the standard building material is sun
dried brick, and the walls are usually
from two to three feet in thickness, fire.
proof. and impenetrabe to heat and
, dampness.
The Church of the Mother, the
cathedral of Uruguay, is the largest
and finest building in the country.
There are three thcaters; an ltal an
opera subsidized by the government; II
bull.ring which is crowded every Sun
day afternoon, under the patronage OF
the pres dent and the arstocracy; n
number of clubs; Il public library with
80, 600 Volumes mostly Spanish his
torical and political works; II museum;
n university which is the summit OF n
free-school system, and all the elect
cras of modern civilization The ladies
dress in the height of the Paris fashion,
the shops contain everything that can
tempt the taste of an eXtravagant peo-
pie, there ale dinner parties and balls,
and time is improved or wasted as IT is
in Paris or Madrid. The gentlemen 90
TO their counting room at Z in the morn
inc. when their wives and daughters
90 TO mass. AT IL they return TO their
homes for u breakfast of seven or eight
courses, then take Il scsta, go back to
their business about y, work until 9,
aud dine with great formalty at Z.
The ladies of Uruguay are famous for
their beauty and fine complexions-tho
blessing of the atmosphere; but after 80
they lose their symmetry of form.
which is doubtless owing to their
Incidence.
Street cars run everywhere, and pay
big dividends, for no Spanish American
ever walks when he can ride. Even
the beggars are literally on horse back,
and the stranger is often startled by u
ragged and dirty creature galloping up
to him, and asking in II ptious voice,
'For the love of Jesus. gentlemen,
give me farthing to buy bread" The
national drink, for which he will I'M
doubtedly spend this, is called cana,
and is made from the fermented juice
of the sugar cane. 1t contains 80 per
cent. alcohol, aud is sold at 2 cents u
goblet. so that spree is within the
reach of the poorest man. All goods
are delivered from The shops by horse
men, for there is not cart in town.
When you hire carriage, for which
you are expected to pay 81 an hour a
poem. called ''chancadero," runs
along beside il the entire distance, no
matter how great so that he may get
fee for opening the door when you
reach your destination. He is actually
a footman, and is never allowed TO
ride beside the driver. who is of better
caste and regards himself as asuperior
being. No hackman will ever get off
his box, and il you refuse medic 70
cents to the ''chancadero" you are a
miserable sponge.
The city is lighted by electricity, and
more than three hundred tele-
phones were in use in 1885.
Gambling is the national vice,
and men, women, and children selling
lottery tickets are rs thick rs newsboys
in the cities of the States The porter
at the hotel informs you that he issup-
piled with tickets for all the drawings;
Tho clark nj The store where You trade